King of Anything
by comealongpond
Summary: Rapunzel knew that Flynn Rider was an egomaniac, but she hadn't counted on Eugene Fitzherbert being one.
1. Chapter 1

Why him?

Why did it have to be _him_?

The townspeople had responded negatively the moment Rapunzel's return had been announced – or rather, as soon as the man who was responsible for bringing her home was announced. While their happiness over finding the Lost Princess was immeasurable, the entire celebration had been dampened a bit because it was _him _that had done it.

Flynn Rider. The inhabitants of Corona would glare at him during the whole party. What was he good for? Well, apparently he was good at rescuing princesses, but there had to be some kind of mistake – he must have had an ulterior motive. Princesses were rescued by princes, heroes, knights in shining armor. Certainly _not _criminals. Flynn Rider didn't fit any of the expectations of what a hero should be – especially considering the way he was staggering through the town square during the entire party, drunk out of his mind, too inebriated to even notice what was being said about him.

"_Princess_!"

Rapunzel jumped out of her daydream, glancing around the classroom. "W-what? Oh, I'm sorry, I must have dozed off there," she lied, sighing and adjusting the way she sat. She looked down at her textbook, pretending to read intently.

A year had passed since her return to Corona and she still couldn't help but think about that day and the week that followed. She had been so elated that she had ignored all comments made about the creditability of her paramour. In fact, she would dare say that that week is when she truly fell in love with him.

"After the party's over, you'll have to start following rules," he had reminded her, a look of arrogance of his face, that she happened to find adorable. She asked what they could do in the meantime, and he had dragged her off into a deserted alleyway and kissed her senseless.

Looking back, maybe she should have doubted a relationship that began when one of the members was drunk and the other was so incredibly elated that she might as well have been.

Rapunzel deeply wished that she could have that one week back. It was the only time was everything was perfect. Before she and Eugene had to face any sort of reality. Before she became apt at listening in on the rude things her subjects were saying. All she wanted was to feel in love again, without all this constant worry.

In a hopeless action, she slammed her textbook shut, gathering it in her arms as she walked to the hallway, calling out a goodbye to her teacher. Technically, class wasn't over for another ten minutes, but the teachers never could have _too _much authority over her.

She walked briskly back to her bedroom, trying to plan the rest of her day. Well, she had to do her homework, that was a definite. Due to her recent difficulty paying attention, she had been having to do more and more work outside of class, practically teaching herself, not caring to admit what was going on. In a way, she didn't mind. Settling down with a book and a piece of parchment in the evening was an excuse for her to be alone – because she had a feeling that without the homework, she would be alone anyway.

She didn't know why, but Eugene hadn't been around as much lately. She knew he was busy training with the guards (they wanted to make him into a guard someday – kind of ironic considering his past), but the amount she had seen him lately, or the lack thereof, was astonishing. She knew there was no way he spent _all _of his time in training, but she was too afraid to confront him about it.

It had always been like anyway. He had just "officially" moved into the castle a few weeks ago, and Rapunzel had been so excited, but it turned out she was just getting her hopes up. It was silly to think he would make more time for her.

She considered heading over to his bedroom to see if he wanted to hang out, but she would feel foolish if she had to walk all the way out there just to find that he was somewhere else.

As it turns out, Rapunzel didn't see Eugene until that evening, when she was in the middle of, well, doing her homework. She was so absorbed in it that she didn't bother looking up when she heard her door open, not wanting to lose her train of thought. Inwardly she was wondering who it was.

"Boo," Eugene said, walking up behind her and placing his hands over her eyes. She could just picture the smirk on his face.

Rapunzel couldn't help but smile widely. Even when she was mad at him, she seemed to forget that whenever he was near, feeling instead a warm glow in her heart. Damn him. "Hi," she said.

"What you got there?" he asked, kneeling down a bit so he was closer to her, nibbling at her ear.

"It's just history," she said, closing the book, having _completely _lost her train of thought. Of course. He always did this to her. She used to think it was exciting the way she would forget about everything but him, but lately it was…problematic.

Eugene scoffed. "Boring!" he said. "Aren't you glad I saved you from it?"

"Well, I guess, but I…kind of have to finish it sometime. But somehow I get the feeling that _you're _not going to give me any time tonight, am I right?" Rapunzel asked, moving her head a little to avoid his kisses.

"I don't plan on it," Eugene said, smirking as he turned her head towards him to kiss her fully on the lips. Rapunzel couldn't understand why he _did_ stuff like that. Kissing her as if he was in love with her.

Ugh, what was she thinking? Of course Eugene was in love with her. She must have just been grumpy because her brain was fried from learning about ancient wars. And besides…she had missed him a lot today. Grabbing onto his vest, she kissed him deeply, not wanting to let go.

"Ah, that's my girl," Eugene said, smiling when they broke away, standing up. Rapunzel simply watched him, not sure if she should be feeling happy or objectified. Eugene began undressing himself, throwing his clothes on the floor. "Is it okay if I stay here tonight?"

Funny that he asked her that _after _he started talking over his shirt. "Sure thing," she said, chuckling a little. She could have said, "No, I have work to do," or "No, I'm tired," but she always had a problem standing up for herself.

Rapunzel rose from her seat, glancing toward the door to make sure it was locked. At least he always remembered _that_. "So," she said, ringing her hands together, "where were you today, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Why does it matter?" Eugene asked.

"Well, sometimes I miss you," Rapunzel admitted. She wasn't expecting to get a real answer out of him. He seemed to _never _give her real answers.

"I was just walking around town," Eugene said, shrugging. Ah, there it was. Rapunzel rolled her eyes and looked at the ground, smiling because she knew he would say something like that. It wasn't that she thought he was lying, but she doubted it was that simple. Perhaps she should have been angrier at him – after all, they were boyfriend and girlfriend…but it was so hard to be mad at him.

Especially when he did things like this, Rapunzel thought, swallowing nervously as he made her way towards her, putting his arms around her waist as he pulled her against him. Rapunzel blushed, feeling her body heat up, and looked away, embarrassed. She liked being close to him, she had to admit, but her feeling of confliction only continued as he began running his hands over her curves.

"So do you think you could maybe not go off on your own as much?" Rapunzel asked, smiling softly at him. She didn't want him to think she was angry.

Eugene had a clear look of exasperation on his face – clear to Rapunzel, though it was very slight. "Well, sure. But you're always busy all day anyway, so what's the point?"

"The point is," Rapunzel said, smiling as she felt the muscles on his chest, "that I feel alone when you're not here. Like I'm not good enough for you."

"Of course you're good enough for me!" Eugene said. "I just get bored sometimes."

"So I bore you?" Rapunzel asked quietly.

"No, I…geez, we're not talking about this right now. I don't need talk like this ruining my night." He pulled away from her and lay down on the bed, folding his arms behind him as he stared at the ceiling.

"Well I doubt you'll _ever _want to talk about it," Rapunzel muttered. She wasn't entirely sure whether or not Eugene could hear her. Either way, he wasn't listening. Rapunzel didn't even know why she had bothered tiring. She was, of course, probably overreacting. It wasn't as if Eugene ever mistreated her in any way. She just needed to be quiet and keep her mouth shut – just like princesses were supposed to do.

"Are you going to come to bed?" he asked, glancing at her with a look of impatience.

"Ah…of course," Rapunzel said, flashing him a smile. "One second, please." She ran behind the changing screen and began undressing. She could have done it in front of him, but from her, at least he couldn't see the look of sadness on her face. Yet another night where she wasn't able to stand up for herself. Oh well. She knew she'd overlook all of this as soon as they started kissing again. It was sad, really, but she didn't mind…not really… She was in love with him, and that's all that really mattered. Eugene's disinterest in her was probably nothing more than a phase.

Even though it had lasted for a while…

He had never really had a knack for telling her how much he appreciated her. Flirting with her, sure – but even from the beginning, he never had never been particularly romantic. Sometimes he was sweet, but it was getting to be increasingly less. She had thought that he had been changed ever since he started dating her, but honestly, she wasn't so sure.

Anyway, she wasn't sure why these thoughts were all coming to her _now_, and she really wished they wouldn't. She supposed she was just reflecting on all of his discourteous behavior from the past year at once. He wasn't all bad. Not at all.

Slipping on a flimsy nightgown, she walked back to the bed, putting out the lamp as she crawled next to him, wrapping herself around his frame.

Eugene smiled, whispering something in her ear about how she looked wonderful in sleepwear. Rapunzel giggled, pressing kisses against his neck and thanking him. It was the last meaningful thing he said all night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: For those of you who might be wondering, I do plan on continuing this, but it will probably be a while between updates. This chapter got so much more sensual than I originally intended, hence the rating. It's mainly for safety, as I doubt anything is going to get really graphic. But we'll see about all of that. And yes, the title is taken from the Sara Bareilles song. **_**Deal with it**_**. And feel free to review?**


	2. Chapter 2

Eugene had some sex drive. They hadn't gone to bed until late last night and had already made love once this morning, and he was still kissing her like he wanted more. Rapunzel couldn't help but feel like she was being used. She would have been fine with this escalation of love – even pleased by it – if only he would pay more attention to her afterwards.

"I have to meet with some diplomats tomorrow and we're all going to have dinner afterward. Mom and Dad said I could bring a date. Do you want to come?"

"Mm…sounds boring," Eugene said, giving her a long kiss. He was smiling when he pulled away; Rapunzel was just glad that her lips were finally getting a break. "Why should I?"

"Because I'll be really bored with you," Rapunzel said. She was hoping she could make him feel guilty if he chose not to come – but she had to remember that he was more insensitive than she liked to admit, especially recently.

"And I'll be _really _bored there," Eugene said with a roll of his eyes. Fair enough. She can't blame him for not wanting to go.

"Please?" she asked, pouting her lips.

"Alright, fine," Eugene said. "But you'll have to make it up to me."

"With what, sex?" Rapunzel asked. She didn't mean to say it – it just kind of slipped out.

Eugene looked annoyed, almost insulted. "I'll think of something," he said finally, sliding out of bed and getting dressed. "I better go back to my room." Rapunzel muttered a goodbye, and he was gone before she knew it.

Because Eugene and Rapunzel were not married, they had to be pretty careful about spending the night together. They figured out that it wasn't as difficult as one might think. Rapunzel had a feeling that the guards knew that Eugene was coming over to her room and were just too embarrassed to say anything. Rapunzel felt pretty guilty about it herself. At first she hadn't. At first, it had been exciting and romantic – something that she had never experienced before. But now they were seeing each other so often that it was beginning to lose its meaning. She still loved being with him, but it was different than it used to be.

Sometimes she wondered if he even loved her at all. Sometimes she wondered if he cared anymore.

She was aware that she had a reputation for being paranoid. She had proven that many times. Eugene was always scolding her – albeit playfully – for overreacting too much. For _thinking _too much. She was sure that the thoughts she was having about her and Eugene's relationship were no different. Just another foolish notion from a foolish and apprehensive girlfriend.

Rapunzel had to admit she was pleasantly surprised when Eugene showed up for dinner the next day. He hadn't shown much interest in it. For a while she told herself not to expect him.

She caught herself staring at the way he looked in his suit – mainly the way that his muscles weren't as clearly defined as they were when he was wearing a plain button-up. He wasn't invited to many events that elicited formal wear, so Rapunzel didn't get to see him in it too often. She blushed when his eyes met hers, taking his hand and walking into the dining hall together.

They sat next to each other, of course. Eugene spent most of the dinner with his hand under the table on Rapunzel's thigh as Rapunzel tried hard not to show her embarrassment. Eugene seemed to think this was funny and kept doing it even though she was uncomfortable. Rapunzel also noticed how charismatic he was – he was actually talking to the diplomats. Not about anything important, but still, he did a good job of making himself seem friendly. He also seemed to listen intently to everything they said. His face mirrored concentration and interest, and even if he was faking it to an extent, it had still been a while since Rapunzel had seen that look.

What was his purpose? She supposed it was good that he wanted to make a good impression, anyhow. He was skilled at it, that much was obvious. Rapunzel had heard many bad things said about her boyfriend, one of the most popular being that he would never make it as a prince, but it was clear to her that this assumption was wrong. He was already showing some of the skills that he would need to have as a royal. As far as the social game went, he had it covered.

"Maybe your folks will invite me to more things now, huh?" he asked later that night, leaning back in a chair in Rapunzel's room. It was a rocking chair – although he always, well, rocked it more than he should have. Rapunzel swore the thing would break soon. But that was Eugene Fitzherbert for you, always testing limits. Including Rapunzel's.

Rapunzel reached out to put a hand on the chair to stop it, but he always ignored her warnings. Glaring at him, she sat down on the edge of the bed, facing him and hoping that chair would break underneath him. "Yes, maybe they will," Rapunzel agreed. He had impressed everyone, even her.

Eugene smiled, looking proud of himself. Rapunzel crossed her arms over her chest, shifting slightly. "Is that what you want?" she asked.

"Well, sure," Eugene said. "It's always good to have your girl's parents liking you. And trust me; you're in for a rough time if it's not the case. When I was sixteen, I was caught jumping down from a girl's balcony, and – " Rapunzel shot him a look. "Well I almost didn't survive," he finished.

Well, what kind of parent _would _like him in that situation? Suddenly fear crept over her. How would her parents react if they knew she and Eugene had been sleeping together? Would they hate him? Did they already know? "The King and Queen have always liked you," Rapunzel said.

"Yeah…always," Eugene muttered. She knew what he was thinking about. That before he had brought her home, the King and Queen wanted him dead, just like everyone else in the kingdom.

"Well, you know what I mean," Rapunzel said quietly. "Anyway, they love you. They tell me that sometimes. They think you're funny, and sweet, and…a good match for me."

"Yeah? And what do you think?" He looked curious, his eyebrow raised slightly. There was some other emotion in there too – was it worry? What did he have to be worried about? It was Rapunzel who was losing faith in the relationship, not him.

"About you? I think the same thing, of course." Rapunzel got up, walking to him slowly. "I think you're perfect," she said softly, smiling and touching his cheek. That got a smile out of him.

"Thank you," he said, kissing her hand. "You're perfect, too." They looked each other for a few moments before he looked down. She couldn't read his emotions anymore.

"So," Rapunzel said brightly, her hands on her hips, "I was supposed to give you a reward for accompanying me to dinner, right?"

Eugene chuckled, looking up at her. He was smirking, but he didn't look quite as arrogant as usual. "You were. But you know what, I don't really need any of that tonight. Maybe another time." Standing, he pressed a long kiss to her forehead and embraced her. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. Goodbye," Rapunzel said. She smiled and waved to him as he walked away. Once he was gone, Rapunzel collapsed onto her bed, feeling utterly confused. Curse Eugene. Why was he was so confusing? He had been so nice tonight… She hated to say it, but she was actually kind of disappointed that he had gone back to his own room. Her head was spinning right now, and she knew that if only he were here – kissing her, holding her – she would be taken away from everything.

It was unfortunate how things turned out. She was upset when they were together too much, she was upset when they weren't. What was wrong with her? She vowed to figure it out later, when things made more sense.

That night, she had a dream about Eugene being crowned prince, and Rapunzel being left in the crowd with all the commoners, utterly forgotten.

In the morning, the first thing she did was take her crown from her armoire. She admired its beauty for a moment before placing it on her head. _Eugene doesn't have one of these_, she thought. She wondered if he wanted one. In a way, it represented how she had control over him – how she _could _have authority over him, if she chose to make use of it. For a moment she felt hopeful. It was all in vain, though, because even she could not mold Eugene into someone she could make sense of.

She hoped that when she saw him later today, she wouldn't be focused on analyzing his behavior. She just wanted to forget about these stupid fears and enjoy herself.

It turns out she was successful. She had a perfectly normal day with him – nothing striking her as usual at all.

But she knew it wasn't over yet. After all, the worrying always came when she was alone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Um…I actually don't have much to say here. Except for that you should review, because that's what keeps me motivated. And…yeah. That's all for now.**


	3. Chapter 3

With Rapunzel's nineteenth birthday having passed just recently, there were many rumors about when she would be getting married. Rapunzel never knew just how old nineteen was until now. She still felt rather young, but apparently she wasn't in anyone else's eyes. Apparently, nineteen was a suitable age to settle down and find a husband.

"Well, how old were you when _you _got married?" she asked her mother, trying to prove a point. She was trying to convince others that she was perfectly happy by herself. At least, for the moment.

"Seventeen," Queen Ena replied.

"Oh." Rapunzel frowned and put her tea cup on the table. She didn't feel like drinking anymore. She guessed with royals, it wasn't uncommon to get married young. "But Mom," she said, "I just don't want to get married. Why should I?"

"Because you're going to be Queen someday. That's a very big responsibility. It will make you look better if you have a husband. Someone to share the responsibilities with. The whole Kingdom would be so excited, too." Ena smiled faintly at her daughter. "I'm not saying you have to do it right away. I'm just saying it wouldn't be a bad idea."

"I know," Rapunzel muttered. Her head was swimming. Marriage. The idea seemed prosperous to her. She was already so immature for her age – getting married would definitely force her to grow up, that was for sure, but would that really be such a good thing?

"Would you…let me marry Eugene?" Rapunzel asked impulsively. She had never asked specifically. She knew that her parents thought they were a good couple, but did they want them to get married? After all, he wasn't of royal blood. In fact, he was very far from it. And his reputation, only it had faded, had not entirely vanished yet.

"Well, sure, sweetie. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"I don't know," Rapunzel said before she could stop herself. She stood up, shaking her head. She felt stupid. Her mother wasn't supposed to know about what was going on between her and Eugene.

"If you'd like, we could arrange a marriage for you. But that might not be the best idea."

"No!" Rapunzel said. She ran a hand through her choppy hair, beginning to pace around the sitting room. "Oh god no. I don't want _that_." The idea of an arranged marriage had always been scary to her. But most of all, she was ashamed of the ideas that started forming in her head. She could tell Eugene that her parents _made _her get an arranged marriage, that she didn't _want _to do it but she _had _to, and they simply _couldn't _be together. Eugene would have to find someplace else to live. She might never see him again.

She felt sick. Never seeing Eugene again. If she were to marry someone else, he would try to find a way for them to be together anyway, wouldn't he? He loved her enough to do that, right?

"I just mean," Rapunzel said, taking a deep breath and trying to calm herself, "I want to marry someone that I love. That much I'm sure of."

"Like Eugene," her mother said calmly.

"Yes. Yes, like Eugene," Rapunzel said, nodding a bit. She smiled at her mother and straightened out her dress a bit, embarrassed by the fact that she had lost her composure for a second there. "I'm, um, not really in the mood to talk anymore, I'm afraid. I'm sorry. I'll see you at dinner." And she promptly rushed out of the room.

What was wrong with her today? All of this marriage stuff was getting to her head. Her mother had even said that she didn't need to get married! So why was she worrying about it so much? Rapunzel walked mindlessly through the halls, heading towards Eugene's room. His room. That implied that he would be here permanently. Why would the King and Queen bother giving him his own room if they didn't intend Rapunzel and Eugene to get married one day?

She knocked feverishly on his door until he opened it, his hair disheveled, wearing nothing but his boxers.

"Jesus Christ, Eugene, it's eleven AM," Rapunzel said, rolling her eyes. She walked into his room as Eugene closed the door behind her.

Eugene scoffed. "Sorry for not getting up earlier?"

"Sorry, I'm…not in a good mood today," Rapunzel said, sighing. She sat down on the edge of his bed, looking down at the floor.

"Something wrong?" Eugene asked as he began pulling on clothes. He didn't sound very concerned.

"No, of course not," Rapunzel said quickly. "I've just been thinking a lot, actually… Have my parents ever talked to you about marriage?"

"Um…no. Why?"

"Because they've been talking to me about it. Well, sort of. They've mentioned it. And people around town have been mentioning it too! Surely you've heard them?" He looked as blank as ever, so she went on. "They say I'm getting old," she said, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "That I should, you know, already be producing heirs to the throne and all that."

"Well I'm pretty sure they don't want you to have _my _kids," Eugene said as he sat down beside her. He clenched his fists in the sheets, like he did when he was nervous. She and Eugene had never really talked about marriage before, and this was not the best way to bring it up.

Rapunzel shrugged. "You've become reputable enough. You're pretty well-liked, all things considered…"

"Yeah, I suppose so. Not around some parts, though."

"How do you mean?" Rapunzel's eyes narrowed slightly. She still wasn't quite sure what he did whenever he wasn't in the castle.

"Nevermind," he said. "So you want to do it, then? Get married?"

"I _never _said that," Rapunzel said quickly. Was he crazy? He wasn't…he _couldn't _be seriously asking her to get married. Certainly not like this. It wasn't even what she wanted!

"It sounded like you wanted to," Eugene said quietly.

"No! I was just discussing it."

"Because they're right, it's probably a good idea." He talked a little slowly, like he was thinking it over.

"No," Rapunzel said. She was scared. When she got scared, she panicked. "Not you too?" It was like everyone was teaming up against her all in the matter of days. And Eugene? She had never ever seen him as the marrying type – he'd sure never mentioned it before.

"I don't see why not."

"I'm only nineteen, for one thing. I've been in the world for a year! Do you really think I'm ready to get…tied down like that?" She raised an eyebrow at him. It was like no one understood her. Eugene was supposed to be the one person who did, but even he hadn't been getting it lately.

"Well, I know. It's probably tough on you."

_Yeah. You could say that. How would you like to go through this?_ Rapunzel thought bitterly.

"But it's probably going to happen someday."

Hmm, was it? Rapunzel guessed it would. She and Eugene had been together for a year now. Despite their problems, she couldn't really imagine them breaking up. She had always figured that they would get married someday. Spend the rest of their life together, have a family, the whole thing… But she had pictured it _years _in the future. Not now!

"Just because it's going to happen someday means we should do it now?" Rapunzel asked. That didn't sound right to her. This was too much pressure. "You're acting like we should just get married…just because! You're not even being the least bit romantic!"

"Well in my defensive, _you're _the one that brought it up."

"Does our relationship really mean so little to you?" Rapunzel asked. She was extremely frustrated was not really thinking straight. Sometimes all the pressures of princess life would build up for two long and she would have to take it out on somebody. Just little fights like this, of course, nothing major. "If I suggested getting married, you would just say 'okay?' Nothing else?"

"Rapunzel, you're not making any sense," Eugene said, lying back on his head, his arms sprawling out beside him. "Do you want to get married or not? It's a simple question."

"But it's _not _a simple question."

"I'll take that as a no, for the time being," Eugene said slowly, eying her. "Just as well. It doesn't matter to me if we wait."

Of course. Nothing seemed to matter to him. Rapunzel sighed, looking down at him. She leaned down to give him a quick kiss. "I'm sorry. I'll see you later."

Did she really need to be apologizing? She was never sure anymore. She could never tell what she needed to do. She got up from the bed and left him alone.

* * *

><p>It turns out that Rapunzel didn't see Eugene until the following week. Something came up and she had to accompany her parents to a nearby kingdom to meet with some other royals. Something about negotiating over land. Rapunzel never cared much for these types of meetings and didn't especially want to go. She was usually very bored because she never understood what the adults were talking about.<p>

She had to admit, though, it was kind of nice having a break from Eugene.

She had written a note telling Eugene where she was going, but she didn't get to actually see him before she left. When she returned after her four day absence, after putting her things back her room, one of the first things she did was ask the guards where Eugene was. She did miss him, after all. When they said they hadn't seen him in a while, Rapunzel wasn't surprised. In his mind, if she wasn't here, he was allowed to do whatever he wanted.

What did surprise Rapunzel was the manner in which he treated her when he finally showed up. He seemed irritated with her, and Rapunzel had no idea why. She would admit that their last conversation hadn't been perfect, but it was clear that he wasn't just feeling awkward. No, he was pissed. He wasn't making eye contact, and when Rapunzel tried to hold his hand during lunch, he pulled away.

Rapunzel tried not to concern herself with his childish behavior, but after dinner she couldn't take it anymore, and confronted him in the corner of the dining room after everyone left. "You've barely spoken to me all day. What's up?"

He shrugged casually, but he looked tense. "Just not in a good mood, I guess."

"Is this about our talk last week? Because if it is, well, I'm sorry," she said honestly, searching his brown eyes for answers. "I know I was being kind of unreasonable."

"No, it's not about that," he said. He pushed her away as he opened the door of the dining room and went back into the hallway. "It's more about the fact that whenever you and your parents have to take care of anything, I'm always left behind."

"What? But Eugene, you would hate those meetings. They're boring," Rapunzel said, following after him. She wasn't understanding how he could be upset over this. "You just can't go because you're not royal."

"You're right, I'm not," he said. He smiled a little. "So tell me, why am I even living here?"

"Because you're my – "

"What, Rapunzel?" He stopped walking and turned to face her. He was looking at her with such intensity than she felt her heart start beating faster. She felt small and foolish compared to him. Funny how he could make her feel so bad about herself in just a second.

"My boyfriend," she said quietly. That was all he was, really, she realized. Before she felt such a connection with him that she could have described him as numerous things; her lover, her best friend, her savior. But now, he was just a boyfriend.

"Exactly," he said, laughing. Rapunzel was scared of people laughing when they were angry. It must have meant they were even madder than normal. "So, I actually have no real connection to you."

"Well not technically, I suppose, but everyone knows we're together…" Rapunzel said. She looked at the ground timidly, just not wanting to upset him anymore.

"It's just frustrating," he said, sighing as he turned away from her, running his hands through his hair, "living in a place where you don't belong."

"Well that's how I feel every day," Rapunzel admitted quietly. She wasn't sure if he heard him or not, because he just kept walking. Rapunzel had so many things she wanted to ask him. Like why hadn't he told her this before? Or was the reason he left the castle so often because he felt more at home in the village?

She felt a bit sorry for him, because she knew how it felt. She wondered what it would be like if they were married. Then Eugene would have to become a prince. They would both be learning how to be royalty together, and neither of them would feel out of place. Maybe they would be happier like that. She almost wished they had gotten married a year ago, when they first got here, with no time to think it over.

Silently, Rapunzel slunk into the kitchen to help the servants wash the dishes.


	4. Chapter 4

Rapunzel deeply wished she had someone she could talk to. Despite having been in the "real world" for a year, she did not have any friends. Making friends was not something she did easily. She had met a couple of other girls around her age that she really liked, but they didn't know each other very well. If you didn't count animals or Eugene, she didn't really have anyone.

Realizing this was rather upsetting. Pascal and her other animal friends were great listeners, but the fact of the matter was that they couldn't respond to anything she told them. And right now, Rapunzel didn't need listeners, she needed advice. Relationship advice, to be specific. Seeing as Eugene was the only boyfriend she had ever had, she didn't really have any idea what she was supposed to do.

But who could she go to? Her parents were, well, her only options, and that would be so…awkward. She didn't want to talk to them about this.

"Oh, Pascal, what am I going to do?" Rapunzel asked, covering her face with her hands.

The lizard gave her a look of confusion. A knock sounded on Rapunzel's door and she squealed in surprise, hiding a bit. "Oh no, it's him," she muttered quietly. Sighing, she removed her face from her hands. "Come in!" she said cheerfully.

Eugene opened the door, glancing around before his eyes landed on Rapunzel, who was sitting on the bed. "Hey. I'm going into town, do you want to come?"

"Depends," Rapunzel said, "…where did you want to go?"

"I thought we could go to this one bar I like," he said. "We can get lunch or something."

Rapunzel swallowed nervously. This was so unusual for him. He never invited her to go out anywhere, especially not a bar. And besides, they had been fighting a lot lately – nothing too bad, but they hadn't exactly been getting along. Maybe this was a good sign. Maybe Eugene wanted to make up! Well, she couldn't help but smile at that. "Sure! That sounds wonderful," she said.

"Great," he said. "Um, I'll meet you downstairs in about ten minutes?"

"Sounds good," Rapunzel said, nodding. As soon as Eugene left the room, she smiled at Pascal. If only he understood that this was kind of a big deal to her. She only hoped everything went perfectly. She missed going out places with Eugene, like normal couples did. Maybe this was what their relationship needed – just some fun. "Do I look okay, Pascal?" she asked.

Pascal nodded, and Rapunzel looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing one of more casual dresses, a light orange one. Maybe she needed some makeup to go along with it. She had always been kind of insecure about how she looked, especially after she lost her blonde hair, but Eugene seemed to like her just the way she was.

Rapunzel exited her room and headed down to meet Eugene.

* * *

><p>"Where are you taking me? Have I been there before?" Rapunzel asked excitedly. She had been so busy lately. She hadn't been able to go out into kingdom just for fun in ages. People watched her as they passed, some of them greeting her or even bowing. Rapunzel was honored that they liked her so much, but it made her feel embarrassed. She wished she could just be a normal citizen, but that would never happen.<p>

"I don't think you have. It's kind of on the far end of town."

"Oh," Rapunzel said as she followed him down narrow streets, farther and farther away from the main road. The island of Corona was small, but there were still areas that were less densely populated than others. She was sort of nervous, hoping she would like the place.

"Well, here we are," Eugene said, smiling and opening the door to a bar with a sign reading "Drop of Sun Pub." It was a small establishment, but it looked quite nice, as far as bars went. It was very clean; all the tabletops looked very polished. Everything was so close together, but it didn't look crowded, it looked kind of cute.

Rapunzel smiled. "Aww, it's nice," she said. It was mostly empty, seeing as it was midday. Not exactly an ideal drinking time – but then again, when did Rapunzel and Eugene stick to moral standards?

"Glad you like it," Eugene said, smiling as he walked to the counter and ordered a beer for himself and a cocktail for her. Rapunzel sat herself down at a table by the window. She could hear the waitress being friendly with him.

"Is this your secret hangout spot, then?" Rapunzel asked, smirking coyly as Eugene sat down across from her. She had wondered for a long time where he had been going lately. Now that she knew, she would admit that it could have been much worse. Maybe she didn't have anything to worry about. Or maybe she did, she thought, glancing at the voluptuous bartender.

Eugene nodded, sipping his beer. "Yeah, I come here pretty often," he said. "It's nice, because it's off the beaten path, so I don't have too many people whispering behind my back because I'm Flynn Rider."

Rapunzel looked down at the table. She often forgot that Eugene was under harsh criticism even now. "Oh, yeah, that's true," she said, laughing softly, trying to lighten the mood. She appreciated that too about this place. As the princess, it was hard for her to find peace and quiet when she was out in public. "So, why did you decide to bring me here?" She also wondered why he had never brought her earlier – but she wasn't about to confront him about that. Their relationship did not need any more fighting.

"Because I…" He swished his already almost-empty glass around, buying himself time while he thought of an answer. "I guess I felt bad that you were mad at me. And I've been getting kind of lonely going out alone, to be honest."

"I wasn't mad at you," Rapunzel said, feeling bad about herself. She had been frustrated with him lately, but she hadn't intended to hurt his feelings at all.

"Well, still – it's been a while since we've done something fun, don't you think?" Eugene asked.

Rapunzel nodded, smiling at Eugene shyly. Maybe after this trip, things would be back to normal between them. She sure hoped so. "Yes, it's been far too long." She hadn't been hanging out with Eugene at all the past few weeks, not even doing boring things. "I miss you," she said, realizing the truth in her statement. She didn't just miss being with him, she missed the way he used to be. It was hard to explain, but sometimes he didn't seem like Eugene to her anymore.

Eugene reached across the table, caressing her hand. It made Rapunzel blush and glance around the bar. She was paranoid that people were watching them, but everyone else seemed absorbed in their own conversations.

"So, anyway," Rapunzel said, "I was going to tell you. The other day, I saw a sparrow chasing after a cricket and – "

"I know this place a few doors down that we could visit," Eugene said, lowering his voice to a sultry whisper.

Rapunzel blinked, thinking it was rude for him to interrupt, but she couldn't help but blush when he talked in that voice. "Oh," she said, getting flustered, "erm – yeah, I guess so?" She lowered her voice to a nervous whisper, leaning forward. "Why can't we just go back home?"

"You know we can't get away with that stuff during the day, when your guards are on alert," he said, rolling his eyes at her ignorance.

"Oh, right. Well. Okay, then." This would be fun, right? Yes, fun was the correct word. She downed the rest of her drink and took his hand as she stood up. The soft chiming of the bell sounded as they exited through the bar's entrance and Eugene began walking down the street, his hands in his pockets. Rapunzel supposed he was trying to look inconspicuous.

"What is this place – an inn?" Rapunzel asked, looking at the building front.

"Yeah," Eugene said. "Okay, they're probably going to know what's going on if they see us together, so how about I go get a room and you come in through the back entrance?"

"Okay…I guess…" Rapunzel said. Honestly, she said never done something like that. Eugene seemed to be familiar with renting rooms for just a few hours, Rapunzel thought to herself. Oh well, that was probably just because he'd done it…before…

Rapunzel met him in the hotel room a few minutes later. She was pleased to see that it looked pretty nice – at least Eugene hadn't brought her to some dirty, cheap place for this. She smiled and sat down on the bed, pushing Eugene down against the covers and cuddling against him.

"Someone's eager," Eugene said, chuckling and wrapping his arm around her, squeezing her.

Eager? Rapunzel was always affectionate, but she wouldn't say she was eager to have sex in a hotel room in the middle of the day. Maybe she should just look at it as an adventure. Yes. This was the kind of thing that people who were in love did…right? "Really?" Rapunzel said coolly. "I think you're forgetting whose idea this was."

"Fair enough, my princess," he murmured, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing the shell of her ear. She could tell that he was definitely just trying to turn her on now. That's the only reason he ever called her those names. She couldn't complain, though – it wasn't such a bad strategy, obviously, since it usually worked.

"What's our excuse for when we get back?" Rapunzel asked, her hand slipping under the waistband of his pants and gripping his erection. She kissed his lips tenderly as he let out a groan.

"Um…we went out for lunch," said Eugene, hurriedly slipping his pants down to his knees. He ran his fingers through her hair with one hand, bringing her down into a kiss. Rapunzel wouldn't have had a chance to reply even if she wanted to. He kissed her greedily, slipping his tongue into her mouth, completely caught up in the passion.

Rapunzel quickly untied her dress and pulled down her undergarments. "I love you," she said, looking at him before she lowered herself onto his member. Part of her was just wondering what he would say in response.

But Eugene was too busy gazing at the ceiling. "Mhm," he muttered, grunting with pleasure.

A bit disappointed, but knowing he was probably incapable of thinking clearly at the moment, Rapunzel leaned down and kissed him as she began moving her hips up and down. As they built up a rhythm, Rapunzel mainly kept her eyes closed, trying to forget her worries and just enjoy herself. It wasn't working all that well.

Rapunzel felt Eugene moan loudly against her mouth. His whole body shuddered, and Rapunzel, sensing this, made herself cry out in pleasure – because she wasn't about to tell him that she hadn't finished. She wanted today to be perfect, after all. Eugene stopped thrusting, leaning his head back and breathing heavily. "Wow, I've missed that," he said. "I've missed you." He smiled, reaching up to stroke her hair.

Rapunzel blushed, lying down beside him. "Yeah, today was…fun," she admitted. They had been in such a hurry to get started that she hadn't even taken her dress all the way off. She fixed it now, retying the lace on the front. It kept her busy. She was afraid that if she looked at him, he would be able to tell that today had made her kind of uncomfortable. It hadn't been nearly as romantic as she had hoped. As always, Eugene was just interested in fulfilling his carnal needs.

"I'm glad you thought so," Eugene said, buckling his pants. He sighed and leaned back against the headboard. "Actually, I have to talk to you."

"Oh?" Rapunzel looked at him. "Go right ahead."

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. He sat up and took both of her hands in his. "Look, I know that this isn't really the ideal place to ask you. I hadn't planned on it going on like this, but since we're alone…"

Rapunzel felt her heartbeat quicken, wishing he would just stop talking. She didn't really like where this was going.

"I might as well keep this informal since I haven't picked up a ring yet." He took another deep breath and looked into her eyes. "Would you, Rapunzel, have any interest in marrying me?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Cliffhanger! As you can see, the story earned its M rating here. That was partly because I felt like it, and also because I think it's important to show that Rapunzel and Eugene's relationship is hardly based on love. I've been getting pretty nice reviews on this story, which is AWESOME. I encourage you all to check out my other Tangled story, _Darling_. I have more of an idea where I'm going with that one, whereas with this one I am still unsure. I have decided, however, that this story will not be as long as your average full-length story. Think of it as a mini-story. It will be better that way, trust me. **


	5. Chapter 5

Rapunzel felt her breath catch in her throat. Had she not, just a few days ago, told him she wasn't ready to get married? Her head spun, quickly thinking over her choices. But there he was, looking at her expectantly, and she just didn't have the _time _to doubt herself.

She nodded, smiling as tears started to form in her eyes – she hoped they were happy tears, not scared tears. She wasn't scared, she was just…overwhelmed. Very overwhelmed. "Yes – yes, sure, I'll marry you."

"Great!" Eugene said, and she liked to think that he looked genuinely happy. He wrapped his arms around her in a crushing hug. Rapunzel rested her head on his shoulder, holding onto the fabric of his shirt, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't help but giggle a bit – she had missed hugging him.

* * *

><p>He had told her not to tell anyone – not yet. He had a plan, he said. He was going to propose to her – properly purpose to her – in front of her parents and what sounded like anyone else he could get. He wanted a spectacle. He wanted it to be a big deal, for people to <em>talk <em>about their engagement. He just wanted to get her approval first, just in case she didn't like the idea.

Rapunzel didn't really want to make such a big deal out of it, but he didn't give her a choice.

"Look, babe," he said, flopping down on the sofa in her room. "Your parents are sure to make a grand announcement when you tell them _anyway_."

"Well, I know – " Rapunzel started.

"So relax. I know what I'm doing, okay?"

"What do you mean, you know what you're doing? How long have you been planning this?"

His face fell a bit; she had caught him off guard. "A while," he admitted. "I mean…" He laughed nervously. "I knew I was going to marry you from the moment we saw those lanterns together. You know that."

Rapunzel smiled, looking down at the sweater she was currently knitting for Pascal. Had he really wanted to marry her, even way back then? That was sweet. "Well, I didn't know you were interested in it until a few weeks ago…"

"The idea took a bit of getting used to, but I always wanted to."

Huh. Rapunzel felt the same way. At least, she thought she did. She was _still _getting used to the idea. She just had to keep reminding herself how happy her parents and the rest of the kingdom would be. And he was right, anyway. She had always known she was going to marry him, so why not do it soon? "So…what is it you want from me?" she asked curiously.

"Okay, well, here's what I had in mind," he said. "You know the ball coming up in…what is it now? Less than two weeks? I'll propose to you then. You'll act really surprised and say yes, and then everyone will cheer for us." He laughed merrily. Rapunzel suspected he was still a bit tipsy from all the wine he had with dinner. "It'll be great."

Sounded simple enough. "Eugene, uh…what do we gain this way?"

He sighed, and she felt stupid. "Rapunzel, everyone is going to be so excited if we do it this way. Trust me."

"Yeah, but they would find out anyway…"

"Look, hun, just trust me," he said. "I've thought it through. Do you really wanna know the reason why?" He sat up, resting his hands in his lap, his fingers intertwining. "Because I don't exactly have a reputation around here yet. At least – not a good one." He shrugged. "And this, this ball, is going to make people realize that I've actually changed. That's why I want to go. And if I can get a proposal in too, well, that will just prove how nice of a guy I am. "

Rapunzel understood it now – he just wanted to make himself look good. It didn't seem like he had changed at all. "You care that much about what people think of you?"

"Uh, yup," he said, smiling and laughing. Yeah. He was definitely still drunk.

Rapunzel wasn't quite sure how things worked in the real world, but at least in the books she had read, marriage was supposed to be about love, not about image. But then again, she was the princess. She couldn't expect a normal marriage. That didn't mean she couldn't live happily ever after, though – the princesses in her book always did.

"Well, as long as we're both happy, that's all that matters," she said. She was mostly talking to herself. She hadn't even realized what she said until Eugene responded.

"And we will be. We'll be the happiest couple ever. I mean, we're going to be royalty!" he said with excitement. "It can't get any better than that, can it?"

Rapunzel shrugged, rather indifferent on the matter. Royalty and happiness did not have much in common in her eyes. "Don't you think it's time for you to get to bed?" She was getting pretty tired herself.

"Aww, I don't wanna go to bed," he complained.

She smiled, finding amusement in the fact that she always had to mother him. She put her needle and thread aside and walked over behind the sofa, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Go on," she said, "I'll see you soon."

"I can't stay here?"

"No…not tonight. Save it for the wedding," she teased, kissing the top of his head.

He laughed sneeringly, standing up. "Not much chance of that happening," he said. He sighed heavily. "See you soon, babe."

"See ya."

* * *

><p>Rapunzel looked down at her left hand, wondering what it would look like with a ring on it. Did Eugene buy a fancy ring? She bet he did. He liked to show off, that was for sure. He always had. That was the whole point of Flynn Rider, wasn't it? Sure, money was part of it, but she knew that most of the reason he stole was maintain his 'fake reputation.' If you asked her, he still seemed a little hung up on it. And it had been over a year now. Where was Eugene when she needed him?<p>

She sighed, falling down onto her bed. "Eugene," she muttered softly, closing her eyes. She was being too hopeful, that was the problem. It was foolish of her to think that he had changed so much. But being in love meant expecting people for who they were, and besides, she was sure that he would get better. He was still improving, after all, he just been having…well, something of a relapse into his old egotistical ways.

She couldn't help but imagine the way he used to be – when they had first fallen in love. The way he would look at her, like she was the most important thing in the world. And he would constantly be telling her that she was the best thing that ever happened to him. Had he just been lying?

No, he wouldn't _lie _about something like that. He just got swept up in the palace life, ever since her parents let him live here. She couldn't blame him. It _was _magnificent. Servants waiting on your hand and foot, free food whenever you wanted it… And it must have been ever better for him, considering his destitute upbringing.

It completely made sense. It's just a phase, anyway, she told herself. She was glad when she finally drifted off to sleep. She didn't want her overactive imagination to ruin her opinion of her fiancé.

* * *

><p>Rapunzel desperately wanted to tell people about the wedding. It wasn't so much because she was excited, but because she felt horrible for not telling anyone – like she was hoarding some huge secret. She didn't like it. She eagerly awaited the ball, where she wouldn't have to pretend anymore.<p>

Rapunzel knew she couldn't tell her parents, but unfortunately, there usually wasn't anyone else around. Eugene was out drinking again with some friends (she'd asked if she could come, but he claimed that she wouldn't like the guys very much), and she was bored.

She wound up at the Snuggly Duckling about an hour later, sitting in one of the booths with Big Nose. The thugs had all welcomed her warmly, obviously having missed her. She had missed them too.

"So," she said, sipping her apple cider. She had chosen to talk to Big Nose because he knew the most about love. Maybe he didn't give the _best _advice, but he always meant well. "Can I tell something?"

"Well of course you can, sweetheart," he said. "What is it?"

Once she started talking it was hard for her to stop. "Okay, so last week, Eugene asked me to marry him. And I said yes, even though I didn't really want to say yes. It's not that I don't want to marry him, but I'm not really ready for that kind of commitment. But I thought that maybe if I said yes, he'd start being nicer to me. But all he cares about is his own image and he still treats me like shit!" Rapunzel huffed angrily, looking down at the table. She hadn't meant to swear. She rarely swore.

Big Nose had looked excited when she mentioned marriage, but that was now all replaced by a look of concern. "Now, wait, what's this about him treating you like shit?"

"I…God, I didn't mean that." She sighed. "It's not like he…_hurts _me in any way. It's just that he never listens to me and he's always telling me what to do and I never get any say in anything! I mean, it's my wedding too!" It felt good to get this out in the open; she had never really talked to anyone about her and Eugene's problems.

"I knew he was a good for nothing bastard," Big Nose mumbled. "I never liked the guy. I only pretended to for you."

"Hey, are guys talking about Rider?" one of the thugs asked.

"Yeah. Rapunzel here says he's mistreating her."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Suddenly, the whole pub knew what they were talking about. Some of the thugs laughed and others shouted in agreement, throwing insults about Eugene back and forth. Rapunzel buried her face in her hands. Perhaps this had been a mistake.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" she asked, looking up at them all. "Not marry him?"

"Of course not. He's a jackass."

"Yeah, you could do way better."

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. It wasn't that simple – she couldn't just break up with him. They'd been together for so long. And she didn't want to leave him anyway!

The rest of her visit comprised of the thugs sharing stories of various criminals they knew and how much they all hated them. Rapunzel slipped out from her booth silently and walked to the door. "Well, uh, thanks for the help, guys, and I'll let you know how things turn out, okay?" They all gave her words of encouragement before she left.

* * *

><p>When Rapunzel arrived back in Corona, she decided to check if Eugene was still out at the bar. She made her way to the pub and looked through the window, sure enough making out his silhouette at one of the tables. She pushed open the door and walked in, but Eugene didn't notice and kept on talking. Rapunzel didn't recognize the person he was speaking too, a man of about his age. "And then, just think, in a few years or so, I'll be king. Crazy stuff, right?"<p>

His companion laughed and glanced up, noticing Rapunzel.

"Hello," she said, smiling brightly. Many people in the bar gave her strange looks. Eugene spun around in his seat and stood up, trying to laugh off his surprise.

He looked flustered, obviously not expecting to see her there. "Hey, hun," he said. "What are you doing…outside of the castle?"

"It's a crime for me to go outside, is it?" she asked.

"No, 'course not – but I thought you had lessons?"

Rapunzel shook her head. "Not today. I was off today. I told you that before you left me," she reminded him. He raised an eyebrow, not remembering at all. "And isn't someone acting a little oddly…"

"What? I'm not acting odd." He rolled his eyes and looped his arm around hers, bringing her outside. They started walking in the direction of home. "Anyway, what have you been up to?"

"I don't believe it's any of your business," Rapunzel said. She had no problem with telling him that she had been at the Snuggly Duckling, but she liked hiding things from him. It made her feel like she was getting some revenge. If he was going to act all secretive, then she would too.

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because maybe I don't have to do everything you ask me to!" Rapunzel said. Talking with the thugs had definitely upped her confidence. She smiled smugly and wrapped her arms around her chest, looking straight ahead as she walked.

"Geez…_someone's touchy_," she heard Eugene mutter as he followed after her. She didn't even care.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Reviews make me smile. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so, this is the **_**last **_**chapter. I just thought I would let you guys know before you start reading it. And yeah, it is longer than most of my chapters, so yay!**

* * *

><p>After finishing her lessons one day, Rapunzel was greeted with the surprise of two of her servants waiting for her inside of her room. She recognized them as seamstresses, though she did encounter either of them enough to know either of their names. Apparently it wasn't common for royalty to memorize the names of all their servants, but Rapunzel felt guilty when she didn't know.<p>

"Oh, Princess!" said the brunette girl with the plaited hair. She wasn't too much older than Rapunzel, and as such, was very cheery. "Your dress for the ball has already been designed and made, and we're here now to make the final adjustments."

"Oh…" Rapunzel hadn't been aware that the dress was already made. She missed the days when she was allowed to make her own dresses, but she couldn't complain. Her despondent mood had something to do with the fact that she wasn't really looking forward to the ball, and it was hurriedly approaching. "Well, let's see it, then." Rapunzel tried to smile and looked at the dress that was laid out neatly atop of her bed.

It was gorgeous. Maroon fabric with a full skirt and a laced bodice. So, this was the dress she would be wearing when Eugene proposed to her…

The next fifteen minutes passed with the two ladies poking and prodding at her dress with needles and making little notes on their piece of parchment while Rapunzel modeled. "May I ask you two something…?" Rapunzel asked, getting dreadfully bored of standing there without talking at all.

"I suppose so, your Majesty," the younger one answered, as the slightly older lady instructed Rapunzel to hold out her right arm.

"What do you guys think of…Mr. Fitzherbert?"

The brunette girl blushed, and the other women, a blonde, said, "Well, I hardly think we should share our personal opinions on the matter. But he seems…very nice. A good match for you."

"He's very dashing," the brunette put in, and then closed her mouth immediately, obviously feeling chagrined for saying such a thing about the Princess' love interest.

Rapunzel nodded thoughtfully. She was interested to hear what other people thought of him. She didn't often speak to people about him, so she wanted to know if perhaps she was seeing him differently than everyone else. Then again, no one else saw how he treated her when they were alone. "What about the fact that he's not royal?"

"Well…" said the blonde, delicately choosing her words, "I'm sure that, if need be, he can learn how to run a country. He might not be the _most _qualified choice in a leader, but he definitely seems determined, especially if he puts his mind to something."

_Well, you've got that right. Especially if that something is compelling his girlfriend to marry him so he can take over the kingdom someday._

Rapunzel was very glad she had learned how to keep her thoughts to herself. Instead she simply nodded.

The fitting was soon over and Rapunzel was allowed to change back into her previous dress. She politely said goodbye to the servants and was glad to be alone with her just her thoughts.

* * *

><p>It seemed to be that Rapunzel was just searching for something to make Eugene drop in her estimation, so she could get out of marrying him. She would never admit it to herself, of course, but she knew that it was basically what she was doing.<p>

She paused, taking a deep breath. _Give it some time_, she thought, _and I'm sure you'll want to want to marry him_. It would take months to plan the wedding, especially because he wanted an extravagant one. Surely, if she just thought about it longer, she would realize it was the right choice.

After all, she couldn't imagine marrying anyone besides Eugene. He was the only man she had ever loved.

She didn't really have a choice.

She should just stop being so indecisive and go along with his plan.

And yet here she was, outside of the Drop of Sun pub, practically spying on him. She didn't like to think of it as spying, just…checking up on him. It was perfectly within her rights as a girlfriend.

As she walked in, she didn't see him. She went up to the bartender and asked, "Have you seen Eugene around here?"

The bartender, who was busy cleaning a mug, replied, "Sure. I think he's in the back with some girl." As the bartender turned, he finally faced who he was talking to. Upon recognizing the princess, he had a plain look of humiliation on his face.

Rapunzel's eyebrows raised slightly, her curiosity sparked. "Oh…does that happen a lot?" There was obvious hurt in her voice.

"I don't really keep track," he said cautiously.

"Alright…thank you," she said politely, before walking towards the back of the bar. She understood why she couldn't see back here when she first came in – the room curved and extended beyond the bar counter, almost like the whole place was shaped like the letter L.

Eugene was, in fact, with "some girl." By the looks of it, a very pretty girl, not much older than Rapunzel. Rapunzel hid near the wall and watched, entranced, as Eugene leaned forward and kissed the girl tenderly on the lips.

A mixture of anger and sadness came over Rapunzel, but she wasn't exactly surprised. Wearily, she made her way back out onto the street, catching the bartender's apologetic expression out of the corner of her eye on the way out. She sighed and glanced back at the pub. What was the point of getting angry with him? Shouldn't she have known all along? The way he was treating her made more sense now. If she confronted him, she knew that the whole thing would be a mess.

She would deal with it later, after giving the situation some thought. Surely, she couldn't marry someone who was cheating on her?

As Rapunzel walked back home, she felt numb, but she didn't exactly feel sad.

* * *

><p>Knowing what was going on made Rapunzel even more unsure how to act in Eugene's presence. She really didn't want him to be upset with her – even though she <em>knew <em>she had a right to be upset with him. She should have listened to the thugs, after all. Eugene really was as bad as they had warned her about. Why did she ever believe he had changed? The whole thing must have just been a lie.

Honestly, Rapunzel didn't know who she should be more upset with. Eugene, for being a cheater and a liar; or herself, for staying with him for so long.

She tried to avoid him as much as possible, seeing as she was still deciding what to do. One day, whoever, he caught her off guard in the hallway, wrapping his arms around her waist. She cringed, but didn't try to pull away.

"Hey," he said softly, "we should do something together."

"No thanks." _Oh no_, she thought, _was that too blunt? _She didn't know what he had in mind, but there were a few obvious things.

"But I'm bored."

"Well I'm sure you can find _something _to do," she said, whispering to him in an irritated voice. She sighed. "Sorry, I, um – don't feel well right now," she lied. "I'll see you later." She attempted to smile before disappearing.

* * *

><p>Finally, the day of the ball arrived, much more suddenly than Rapunzel would have liked. She had barely had any time to think about the Eugene situation! Earlier today, he had told her that he bought a ring and that he had the whole thing planned out, which made her very nervous. She could decline his offer of marriage, of course, but that would make <em>her <em>look bad. Perhaps if she accepted, she could talk with him and her parents afterwards, and find a way to break it off.

Or perhaps she _could _marry him, and after a while, he would turn back into the Eugene that she had fallen in love with.

Rapunzel knew now that that was a dream, at most. She couldn't see Eugene as a good person anymore – in fact, she wondered if he ever really was. It was heartbreaking to think about, but maybe she had been blind in her love. Maybe he never really was all that great.

She knew she needed some advice from someone who would understand, but there was simply no time. The ball began in less than an hour, and nearly everyone in the castle was busy preparing the ballroom so that it would look perfect when the guests started to arrive. She had spent so much time by herself, moping over her own stupidity, that she hadn't even thought about a solution yet.

Rapunzel changed into her dress and did her makeup, and she was finally ready to go to the party. She met her parents near the ballroom. "Mom, Dad – I need to talk to you about something. Don't worry, I can do it later – after the ball, but…"

"Are you sure, dear?" her mother asked, concerned.

Rapunzel nodded, not wanting them to fret. At least she was taking a step in the right direction by bringing it up.

Finally, it was time for them to enter the ballroom. All the guests had already arrived, and they all stopped to watch the royals enter, some of them bowing. Rapunzel blushed, not so fond of fancy occasions like this.

Mostly, the evening consisted of mingling and dancing. And mingling while dancing. Rapunzel was asked by many different young men to dance, but even that could not clear her mind from her worries.

She found Eugene waiting for her near a corner. She found it hard to act normal around him, but she managed.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said, smiling at her. Eugene looked pretty attractive himself, all dressed up like he was.

"Hey," she said shyly.

"Alright, so…later in the night," he said, his voice dropping so that no one else could overhear them, "I'll take you to the middle of the room. I'll get down on one knee, which is sure to get everyone's attention, and then I have this whole speech planned out."

"Okay. I already know the plan. I don't understand why you keep telling me." It wasn't like Eugene to share his plans with Rapunzel. "Honestly, I don't even understand why you didn't just wait until now to propose anyway…"

"I already told you, Rapunzel, but I guess you weren't listening." Oh right, _she _was the bad listener in his eyes. "Because you seemed so shaky about the marriage thing, I wanted to make sure you were okay with it before I did anything stupid."

"And what if I wasn't okay with it? What would happen then?"

He shot her a look that told her to be quiet, and walked off to go talk to some dukes.

She had been so close to telling him that she wasn't okay with it – so close. But he just wouldn't listen to her. Even if she had told him, she knew what he would say. "You're just nervous. You'll feel fine about it tomorrow." That was unlikely. Rapunzel had never been completely comfortable with the idea of marriage, and she probably wouldn't be for years. She realized that now, and it was stupid of her to believe that she would be able to alleviate her fears so quickly.

Rapunzel wasn't going to do anything she regretted. She watched Eugene try to make a good impression with the visitors, and his words echoed in her mind. _"I wanted to make sure you were okay with it before I did anything stupid_."

Rapunzel was not going to do anything stupid, especially something that she was not okay with.

As the King and Queen made a short speech welcoming everyone to their castle, Rapunzel took opportunity of this distraction to quietly sneak out of the ballroom. Thankfully, the guards that gave her suspicious looks as she walked through the empty hallways to her quarters did not have the right to question her on why she wasn't at the party. That was one good thing about being a princess.

* * *

><p>Rapunzel felt so much better now that she was alone. She wondered where Eugene was – probably frantically looking around the entire ballroom for her. He was probably angry that she left. Maybe she should leave the castle. No…that would just make the whole problem worse.<p>

She was not surprised to hear her door open and slam closed after about thirty minutes of being alone. He didn't even knock, he just came right in. "Rapunzel, what are you doing here?"

She had been lying on her bed, and she sat up straight now. "I felt…uneasy, so I decided I should rest."

"No, seriously, what happened?"

She swallowed. He sounded angry. Despite the fact that she was beginning to get over him, she still didn't like making him upset. She didn't like upsetting _anyone_.

"Eugene, I – I don't want to marry you."

"What? Then why the hell did you agree to it when I asked you?"

"I was…confused. And you were kind of putting a lot of pressure on me…" she said, glancing up at him, trying to gauge his anger. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have agreed if I wasn't certain, but – "

"No, the problem is that you're being too indecisive, just like you always are. It's very irritating, Rapunzel, did you know that? Just grow up already."

Rapunzel looked down quickly, feeling ashamed. "Eugene. I know that I've done some foolish things, but I'm not the only problem here."

"Really? Because I'm not the one complaining about having to get married."

"Can you just shut up and listen to me for once?" Rapunzel demanded. "You never give a damn about anything that I say and I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm sick of you walking all over me!"

He laughed bitterly. "You _let _me walk all over you. It's not my fault you're so weak. In fact, I was beginning to think that you enjoyed the way I treated you."

"Just…stop it…" Rapunzel muttered, embarrassed. She knew that it _was _partially her fault, but that was beside the point right now.

"Why should I? You're just as much to blame as I am – "

"Eugene, I saw you with another girl. I _know_."

Eugene backed away slightly from Rapunzel's gaze, looking dumbstruck. There were a few moments of terribly awkward silence between the pair. "Well, I suppose…that's my own fault for not being more careful."

"What? Eugene, the point is that you're seeing someone _else_. Not the fact that you didn't hide it well enough!"

He rubbed his hand behind his neck. "Okay, yeah, you're right. But, I can explain!" he said defensively. "I mean, I can try to."

"It's okay," Rapunzel said, surprisingly calm. She didn't really want to know how many girls he had been seeing behind her back. "I'm not surprised. I mean, I was at first, but now that I think about it, you never seemed very loyal to me… I should have known from the start. There is one thing I want to know, though. Were you seeing them because you weren't in love with me?"

After a moment, Eugene shook his head. "No, you were the only one I was ever in love with. I still am in love with you…" he admitted, "though I think this a little beyond fixing, right?"

"I would say so," Rapunzel said sadly. She didn't want to break up with Eugene – he meant so much to her, even now. But he was right; there would be no way for them to move forward from this point. This was a long time coming.

"Commitment is just hard for me, I guess," Eugene said (Rapunzel couldn't help but scoff). "So I slipped back into old habits – that includes my old personality, too, I guess, and…"

"How long have you been seeing other women?"

"Oh, wow. Well, I didn't start doing it regularly until a few months ago."

That was not a very reassuring answer – apparently he had been an ass even when they first got together. "And I assume you were sleeping with them?"

"Well, yeah," he said, laughing a little, like that was obvious.

Rapunzel fought the urge to slap him. "I still don't know why you wanted to marry me – especially if you 'hate commitment' so much."

He rolled his eyes. "You just don't get it, do you? I can't explain it, exactly, but…marrying you would give me what I always wanted and never had. Money, power. It just, seemed like the better option…"

Rapunzel couldn't help but smile a little. It seemed that they were both a bit foolish in their actions. He hadn't thought his plan through as well as she thought. In her opinion, that was a very silly reason to want to marry someone. "So you wouldn't want to marry me if I wasn't the princess?"

He sighed, thinking. "Honestly, if you weren't the princess, I probably would have broken up with you by now. It's just not like me to stay with someone for a long period of time, even I feel a connection between us. But with you, since you came with all these benefits, I didn't feel the need to end it so much…"

Rapunzel nodded. She was proud of herself for not getting emotional, although she felt terrible on the inside. In a way, she was almost thankful that they had been drifting apart recently, or else this would have been much more difficult. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"You're the princess. It's kind of up to you…isn't it?"

"I don't think we should be together anymore."

He shook his head. "Yeah…probably not."

A part of her was saddened that he wasn't even trying to keep her – but then again, she wasn't trying very hard either. "But you won't get to be a king now."

"No, I won't. But I got closer than most people ever will. And it's been fun, right?"

Rapunzel couldn't hold it in anymore – she started crying. This was the most genuine talk she had had with Eugene in ages. She was also surprised by how mature he was being about all of this. It reminded her that there still some bit of good in him, no matter how small. She stood up and hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Part of her wanted to forgive him for everything, to kiss him until she forget all about what he did, but she knew she couldn't. She wouldn't feel into that trap again. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, Rapunzel. Please don't think that I didn't."

"I won't," she said, and kissed his cheek before pulling away, sighing. "You can go back to the ball, if you like. Last chance to mingle and such. As for me, I'll just stay here."

* * *

><p>The following morning, Rapunzel had a talk with her parents. She didn't describe everything that had happened and had been happening between herself and Eugene, but she told them a great deal of it.<p>

"I don't want him to live here anymore, and I'm sure you agree."

They nodded adamantly. Rapunzel was sure that her parents both hated Eugene now, and honestly, she couldn't blame them.

"Also, I've been thinking," said Rapunzel, "that maybe I should get out of town for a while. Try to…clear my head. Move on from him. I think that would be good."

"I think that would be wonderful, honey," the Queen said, reaching across the table and taking her hand in hers.

* * *

><p>Rapunzel's last conversation with Eugene was very awkward and more bitter than she would have liked, but she was glad when he was finally gone. It felt strange to say goodbye to him, but it was also a huge relief not to have to worry about their relationship anymore.<p>

Rapunzel tried to learn from this experience, as she tried to learn from all things. Eugene had been right – she was weak. She was naïve. She knew that. She just hoped that those were things she would get over with in time. Overall, she was very proud of herself for ending it with her – that alone proved that she was heading in the right direction.

Some months after their parting, after Rapunzel returned to Corona, she received a letter from Eugene. He was living in the next kingdom over, with – Rapunzel's heart dropped – his girlfriend. Why did he have a girlfriend? That poor girl, she was just going to have her heart broken.

"He sure moved on fast," Rapunzel muttered to Pascal. He gave her a look. "No, I am not jealous!" she said, huffing. "I mean, maybe just a little. A tiny, tiny bit."

Pascal gave her a look as if to say "right."

He mentioned in the letter that she should come visit him sometime. She would have to think about it. She really would like to see him again sometime soon, though. Perhaps it was stupid, but she still wanted to remain friends with him. He meant far too much to her for her to stop talking to him completely.

She grabbed a piece of parchment and started composing her reply.

This time, she told herself, she would be strong enough not to become his victim again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I ended with a bit of ambiguity, see. Anyway, thank you all very much for reading this and for leaving nice reviews. It was a lot of fun to write. I am sad to say that this is the end, though. I hope you enjoyed it, and I commend you guys for sticking with a story where the characters are so very unlikable. Not to mention the fact that the whole thing is sort of depressing. Thank you again!**


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